Electro-mechanical transmission system for sewing machines



B. SOTZKY Aug, 20, 1957 ELECTRO-MECHANICAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FORSEWING MACHINES "Filed Aug. 26. 1953 FIG.

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United States Patent ELECTRO-NIECHANICAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR SEWINGMACHINES Bernard Sotzky, New York, N. Y.

Application August 26, 1953, Serial No. 376,721

2 Claims. (Cl. 112-158) This invention relates broadly to anelectro-mechanical transmission system and more specifically to meansfor transmitting motion from one mechanical portion of a sewing machineto another mechanical portion of a sewing machine by electrical means.

Convention sewing machines such as are now commonly in use are providedwith a needle which executes vertically reciprocatory movement, therhythm being such, that all stitches produced therey are even. However,it is frequently desirable to produce an uneven pattern of stitches,which necessitates the provision of means to interrupt the even rhythmof the needle, or the even feeding of material to the machine. Towardsthat end, a multiplicity of attachments are available, each of whichmust be permanently attached to a sewing machine as the specific needrequires. The operation of each of these attachments requires a complexand costly transmission train. This results in an unnecessaryexpenditure of money in the purchase of a number of sewing machines,each being provided with a specific attachment for a specific need, andwhenever such mechanical attachments involve moving parts, they must begeared through trains of mechanical transmission systems to themechanism of the sewing machine.

With this in mind, it is the principal object of the present inventionto provide a sewing machine with a transmission system which convertsthe mechanical rhythm of the machine to electrical impulses at thebalance wheel end of the sewing machine and conveys through electricalwires the impulses which are reconverted to mechanical, properly timedmotion near the needle, since that is the desirable and suitablelocation for selectively providing various attachments.

Another object of the present invention residesinthe provision of asewing machine, wherein the even motion of the needle can be interruptedat predetermined intervals.

And a still further advantage of the present invention resides in theprovision of a converter at the balance wheel end of the sewing machinehaving a plurality of spaced-apart trips whereby the even rhythm of theneedle at the other end of the sewing machine may be interrupted atpredetermined intervals and for predetermined periods.

And yet another advantage of the present invention resides in theprovision of means whereby the even flow of material to the needle of asewing machine may be interrupted at predetermined intervals and forpredetermined periods. Yet another aim of the present invention residesin the provision of means for tripping the needle bar of aconventionalzig-zag sewing machine .at predetermined intervals and for predeterminedperiods.

A still further aim of the present invention resides in the provision ofelectrically activated mechanical means for moving a work-piece guideand for interrupting its movement at predetermined intervals.

These and other meritorious aims and advantages, which will become morefully apparent as the descrip- 2,803,207 latented Aug. 20, 1957 tinhereof proceeds, are attained by the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts, hereinafter described, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, forming a material component of this disclosure,and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a conventional sewing machinehaving a pleating attachment at its needle and means at its other end toactivate the pleating attachment electrically, the machine beingillustrated in an open circuit position.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the sewing machine illustrated in Figure1,part of the machine head being broken away to show the manner in whichthe pleating attachment is arranged, the machine being illustrated in aclosed circuit position.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a piece of pleated fabric stitched to apiece of base material, produced by the use of the machine illustratedin Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an edge view of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a partial front elevational view of a conventional zig-zagsewing machine showing the application of the electro-mechanicaltransmission system in connection with this type of machine and showingthe manner in which the needle bar of this machine is activated.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the needle end of the sewing machineillustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a front elevational view of the needle end of a conventionalsewing machine, showing the use of the transmission system of thepresent invention in connection with a sewing machine having a movableguide.

Figure A is a cross sectional view on line AA, Fig. 7.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a piece of fabric provided with stitchingproduced by the machine illustrated in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of another piece of fabric, the stitching ofwhich is produced by the use of either of the machines illustrated inFigures 5 or 7.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of still another piece of fabric showingtwo different kinds of stitches, which may be produced by the machineillustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 11 is a side elevational view of the needle end of the sewingmachine illustrated in Figure 1, showing in detail the pleating bladearrangement.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, the numeral 1 illustrates ingeneral a conventional sewing machine head, having at one end aconventional vertically reciprocating needle bar 1a retaining aconventional needle 1d a foot bar 1b and a presser foot 10, and havingat its other end a conventional balance wheel 1f. None of these elementsare new and since they do not form a part of the present invention, theywill not be illustrated or desribed in more complete detail.

Mounted at one end of the conventional rotatable shaft which normallyextends horizontally through a sewing machine head, is a worm 2 which isin mesh with a toothed worm gear 3, rotatably mounted by means of ashoulder screw 70 upon the upper end of a rectangularly curved bracket 7the other end of the said bracket 7 being attached to the sewing machinehead as illustrated in Figure 1. Worm gear 3 is adapted to rotate at apredetermined, reduced rate of speed in proportion to the rate ofrotation of worm 2. Worm gear 3 is provided with a plurality of equallyspaced tapped openings circumferentially about its outer edge, theopenings 5 being adapted to receive and removably retain therein aplurality of trips 4, two such trips being illustrated in Figure l. Thenumber of trips 4 to be used and the length of each trip may varyaccording to the result to be obtained, as will hereinafter be morefully explained. Worm 2 is mounted above worm gear 3, and mounted belowworm gear 3 is a conventional micro-switch 6.

The use of this particular type of switch is, of course, optional andapplicant may prefer to use any other suitable and desirable circuitinterrupter.

At the needle end of machine head 1, there is provided a downwardlyextending bracket 17, secured to the machine head 1 by means of screwsor in any other desirable and suitable manner. Secured to the saidbracket 17 is a solenoid 3 having a plunger 3a extending verticallytherethrough, the plunger 55a extending beyond the upper and lowerhorizontal edges of the solenoid housing 8, the plunger being controlledby spring 80. Solenoid 3 is provided with a step 812 to limit theexpansion of the spring 80. Obviously, any other suitable and desirableelectromagnetic device may be used instead of the solenoid 3 with equaleffectiveness. Secured to the lower end of plunger 3a is universal shaft1* terminating in a rocker arm 9, which is retained on rocker shaft ll.Shaft ll is adapted to oscillate in the hollow interior of bracket 12 atthe lower edge of bracket 17. A horizontally movable blade I ia isfastened in any desirable and suitable manner to a blade holder 13which, in turn, is fastened by a set screw or otherwise to shaft ll.Bracket 12; has formed therewith or secured thereto in any suitable anddesirable manner, a blade holder 15', the said blade holder being curvedsubstantially rectangularly, its free end being secured by solder orotherwise to a lower, stationary blade 16.

T he electrical wiring is so arranged that the circuit from the sourceto solenoid 3 is channelled through the switch 6, so that the actionupon switch 6 will close the circuit at solenoid 8.

The electromechanical transmission system hereabove referred to may beapplied in connection with a conventional Zig-Zag machine as illustratedin Figures and 6, wherein the vertically reciprocating needle bar andneedle are slightly moved alternately to the right and to the left, soas to produce substantially V shaped stitches. The needle end of thezig-zag sewing machine illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 shows a verticalactivator 1% for a vertically reciprocating needle bar 18a containing aneedle 18c. Secured to the machine head is a vertically extendingbracket 25, near the upper end of which is attached a solenoid 8 havinga spring controlled plunger 3a and a spring stop 81), the lower end ofplunger 8a having attached thereto a universal shaft ll), all of whichelements have been referred to hereabove. Universal shaft ll? terminatesin a rocker arm 19, which is secured to rocker shaft i adapted tooscillate in the hollow interior of hub Zl extending from bracket 25. Atthe other end of shaft 2i) is rocker arm 22, the lower end of which isprovided with an elongated adjusting slot 22a in which is engaged oneend of a universal shaft 23, the other end of the universal shaft 23being attached in any suitable and desirable manner to needle bar holder24, the other end of the said needle bar holder being fulcrurned in aconventional manner to machine head 1% as at 2%.

The transmission system of the present invention may also be used inconnection with the sewing machine illustrated in Figure 7 wherein aconventional sewing machine head 26 having a vertically reciprocatingneedle, is provided with a guide for a workiece, the guide beingreferred to by the numeral 2%. Guide 2 3* is secured to one end of asubstantially rectangular guide holder 28, its other end forming a T(see Figure A), and being horizontally movable in a T-slot which is apart of bracket 27. A universal shaft activates the horizontallyreciprocating movement of guide holder 2%.

The transmission system as applied to different types of sewing machinesoperates in the following manner:

When it is desired to produce a pleated fabric, the machine illustratedin Figures 1 and 2 is used. The base fabric 3i? is placed under thelower, stationary blade lb and the fabric Tall wnich is to be pleated isplaced between the lower blade it? and the movable blade 14a. The sewingmachine will then be set in operation in the conventional manner, andthe needle will stitch cloth 31 to cloth Bill as shown at 32 in Figure3. During this operation, solenoid 8 will be inactive, as will worm gear3 (Figure 1). As worm 2 rotates with the conventional machine shaft, itwill cause worm gear 3 in mesh with it to rotate until micro-switch 6males contact with one of the trips 4. This will cause plunger 8a tomove upwardly through the solenoid 8 activating the two rocker armsthrough the universal shaft, causing the movable blade to move forward aportion of fabric 31 as at 33. Worm gear 3 will continue to rotate andwhen the trip has passed the microswitch, all of th several elementswill return to normal, plunger 8a being drawn downwardly throughsolenoid 8 by the action of spring 80, its upward movement being limitedby stop 3b. Obviously, the result to be obtained will vary with thenumber and length of trips. For that reason, a plurality of openings 5are provided on worm gear 3, to accommodate additional or longer trips.

When it is desired to produce the stitches shown in Fig. 10, the machineshown in Figure 5 is employed. Since this is a zig-zag machine, stitchesill will be the normal result of the use of this machine. This resultmay be varied by having intervals of straight stitches 41 which resultis obtained by the use of trips on the worm gear as hereabove explained,which will interrupt the rhythm of the needle bar and needle in anobvious manner.

It is to be noted that the point of origin, that is, the location of theworm, worm gear and the electromagnetic device need not be asillustrated in the drawing. It may be found to be desirable to buildthese elements into the machine head, instead of positioning themoutward of the machine, or they may be secured by a bracket to aposition on the machine head other than the position illustrated in thedrawings.

in addition to the several applications of the electromechanicaltransmission system which have hereabove been illustrated and described,many other variations are obviously possible whereby all manner of fancystitching may be achieved by the introduction of the transmission systemto sewing machines and sewing machine attachmerits.

daving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a sewing machine mechanism having a head, adrive shaft extending transversely therethrough, a balance wheel at oneend of the drive shaft, a horizontally movable needle bar frame adjacentthe other end of the drive shaft, a vertically reciprocating needle barin the needle bar frame retaining a needle therein; of a worm rotatablymounted on the drive shaft, a support extending from the machine head, aworm gear at the upper end of the support in mesh with said worm, acircuit interrupter adjacent said worm gear, a solenoid mounted at theneedle bar frame end, means connecting the solenoid and needle bar frameto reciprocate the needle bar frame, needle bar and needle in ahorizontal plane, means on said worm gear activating said circuitinterrupter to reciprocate the needle bar frame at predeterminedintervals and for predetermined periods, said worm gear having meansthereon to selectively alter the frequency and the extent of theinterruptions, and said solenoid and circuit interrupter wired in seriesto a source of electrical energy.

2. The combination with a sewing machine mechanism having a head, adrive shaft extending transversely therethrough, a balance'wheel at oneend of the drive shaft, a horizontally movable needle bar frame adjacentthe other end of the drive shaft, a vertically reciprocating needle barin the needle bar frame retaining a needle therein; of a worm rotatablymounted on the drive shaft, a support extending from the machine head, aworm gear at the upper end of the support in mesh with said worm, acircuit interrupter adjacent said worm gear, an electromagnet mounted atthe needle bar frame end, said electromagnet having oscillating meansthereon, means connecting said electro-magnet and needle bar frame toreciprocate said needle bar frame, needle bar and needle in a horizontalplane, means on said worm gear activating said circuit interrupter toreciprocate the needle bar frame at predetermined interval and forpredetermined periods, said worm gear having means thereon toselectively alter the frequency and the extent of the interruptions, andsaid electro-magnet and circuit interrupter wired in series to a sourceof electrical energy.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSOsborne Mar. 22, 1881 Schulz-Berge July 6, 1886 Biggar Mar. 23, 1897Peetz et al. Mar. 8, 1932 Boyce Dec. 11, 1934 Mahany June 3, 1941Hagquist Jan. 29, 1952 Littleton July 27, 1954

